Main menu

aldyn mckean

Aldyn McKean, New York, 1993

Aldyn McKean lived across the street from me, on East 14th, between 2nd and 3rd Ave. in Manhattan. I remember as I was photographing him, he pulled up his shirt to show me the tube he used when he hooked himself up to the dialysis machine. He asked to include some photographs of that in the session.

Then a year or so later he called me. He said he was going to an opening, I think it was at the Museum of Modern Art. He went on to say, “There are no photographs of me in a tuxedo and this may well be the last chance to do one”. He was just leaving his apartment for the opening, I quickly set up the equipment and we did the shoot.

Aldyn was a frequent spokesman for Act Up, and often represented ACT UP at international AIDS conferences and on national television.

Aldyn died on February 28, 1994

Related

Post navigation

2 thoughts on “aldyn mckean”

I’m Todd McKean, and that’s my uncle. His brother, my uncle Art McKean, had just had some old family videos copied to DVD for the Holidays, and I just watched them with his other brother, my father, Scott McKean. Aldyn, ever the great showman and performer that he was, is featured often in them, I miss him often, but always the most during the holidays, when we were often together. I wish he was still alive, his life was cut way short.
Thank you for this picture, I think it really captured who, and what he was more than any other I’ve seen…..so close to the end of his life, he seemed most genuine.

Todd, thank you so much for the comment. It’s nice to hear good words about Aldyn. He was quite the fierce activist, well respected and smart. I was so very honored when he called me to do this photo. He was as intense in person as he is in this photo.

I want to send my regards this Holiday Season to you and the rest of Aldyns family,